


Natural

by NixTheLapin47



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gen, Halfbreed Keith, Keith (Voltron) Angst, Kinda, Lions, Predator/Prey, Sort Of, Tigers, Werewolf Hunk (Voltron), Werewolf Lance (Voltron), Werewolf Pidge | Katie Holt, Werewolf Shiro (Voltron), Werewolves, and bears!, forced shifting, keith legit fears for his life, nah jk, oh my!, shifting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-05 02:20:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18356612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NixTheLapin47/pseuds/NixTheLapin47
Summary: "That's the price you payLeave behind your heartache, cast awayJust another product of todayRather be the hunter than the preyAnd you're standing on the edge, face up 'cause you're a-"





	Natural

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ReadingBoi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReadingBoi/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Of Wolves and Deer](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15715377) by [ReadingBoi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReadingBoi/pseuds/ReadingBoi). 



> A rewrite of “Of Wolves and Deer.” I absolutely fell in love with this fic, as well as the author, swordbird89. I was very sad when he announced that he would be discontinuing it, but I could not be more honored to take up the mantle in his place. 
> 
> I tried to change it up enough so that I can call it my own writing, but this wonderful story does belong to the original author. Thank you so much for allowing me to write this! I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed yours! 
> 
> Read the original here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15715377/chapters/36529707#workskin

Everyone always told him how wonderful it felt to shift. How changing for the first time felt like opening a new lens and experiencing the world again for the first time. His father used to tell him of how he and his mom would run around through the desert for hours on end, a smile never failing to grow on his face at the memory.

Keith longed for the day he would shift. He wondered what he would be. Wolves were most common, while foxes or coyotes were simply outliers. Since is dad was a wolf, it would be safe to assume he would be too, but he didn’t know what his mom was- his dad would never tell him- so what he’d end up as was up in the air.

 It wasn’t just him either. All of the kids in his class wouldn’t stop talking about it, despite them all being years too young to start shifting. But the years of waiting couldn’t stop the anticipation boiling inside the children. They always spoke about piling or hunting with their packs and friends. Keith wasn’t as obsessed with hunting as most of his peers, but he was always so excited when his dad came home with a fresh kill for dinner. With his job, he didn’t go out much, so he knew that there was always something special going on when he came to the house with some rabbits or, on _really_ special occasions, a mule deer. Now _that_ was a feast! He’d love to help his dad. Most families had big packs to help them track down prey, but with Keith, it was just him and his dad. And he couldn’t exactly do much as a shift-less child.

Still, he could enjoy a nice cuddle with his dad, as both a human and a wolf (though, secretly he liked the wolf form better. He would always snuggle up in the fur to get warm in the cold desert night).

One time in class, the teacher decided to indulge his class in a lesson about shifting. Their first time wouldn’t hit until their early teens, but they were all so eager, she felt obligated to give them something.

But rather than talking about hunting or proper shifting techniques or pack bonding, or even what it’s like to shift for the first time, she instead told them about non-shifters. The class’s excitement had quickly been replaced with confusion and dread. Apparently, though they are even rarer than foxes or coyotes, people who don’t have another skin do exist. They’re just like everyone else, they just can’t shift. This confused many children, Keith included. How could a person not shift? Humans are supposed to have another form.

“True,” she had said, “but sometimes they don’t. We don’t know why, but the only form that they have is the one they were born with.”

One boy had started crying.

Many of the others filled the room with an uproar, terrified that they wouldn’t be able to shift. How would they live without it? Keith, admittedly, was also scared, shaking slightly in his plastic chair. Would his dad be disappointed? He never knew what his mom was- did she even have another form? She must’ve! She used to run with his dad! He said so! And his dad wouldn’t lie to him! Would he?

In the midst of the tantrums, his teacher quickly jumped to calm them all down. What she said next stuck with him:

“But remember, children,” she said with a the most sincere voice she could manage with eight-year olds, “even if you are an Immut, you will not be any less than shifters, do you understand? Whether or not a person can shift doesn’t determine your worth.”

The class calmed down a little bit after that- the boy had stopped crying, at least- but Keith was still on edge. What if he wasn’t able to shift?  

Thinking back, Keith now wished that _had_ been the case.

\---

“Keith, are you sure you don’t want to go hunting with us? This is the first time we’ve been on an actual planet in forever!”

His gut clenched as Hunk said “hunting,” straining to pass off as though nothing strange had happened. Hunting was totally normal, especially within a functioning pack like they (technically) were with Voltron. Sure, typical packs didn’t usually have two alien lion-shifters, but they made it work. Or at least, they did the best they could.

“Sorry,” he said, turning to look at Hunk and Pidge, both of which were still trying to find a way to make him shift. “I already told you guys I can’t shift.” Lie. “Besides, I think I should just get some training in, maybe try the next level.”

Pidge eyed him skeptically and crossed her arms. She could tell that there was something off with his claim, but she, nor anyone else, has called him out on it yet. Still, they aren’t too happy with him. He’s heard them all theorize that he can actually shift, and no one likes someone who refuses to shift with the rest of their pack.

“Can’t or won’t?”

He flinched at her snap. He tried not to make the move obvious, but the damage was done. Her words filled him with nausea. He couldn’t help it, really. How could he not? Whenever he shifted around others, it never went well. Even with them, who he considers family, he can’t help but fear for his life whenever hunting or shifting (or, god forbid, both together) come into question.

Shiro insisted that the others didn’t care that he didn’t shift with them, but Pidge’s reaction made it very obvious that they were anything but. He’s never been a part of an actual pack before, but he at least knew that pack members weren’t supposed to be like him.

“ _Pidge_ ,” Hunk scolded. He turned back to Keith, who froze like his eyes were two headlights, sealing him in place beneath their gaze. “You know, you don’t _have_ to shift. We’d be happy just having you there! Besides, you can count this as training time if you use your bayard!”

He could tell that Hunk was being genuine; he just wanted him to actually be a part of the team outside of Voltron stuff. But despite Hunk’s encouraging attitude, his adrenal glands seems to have a different take on Hunk’s proposal.

_Hunt, bad. Stay, good._

“I- uh- just.” He took a breath to stabilize himself. “I’m sorry. I think I’ll just stay here. You guys go have out, I’ll be fine by myself. Besides, someone should stay in the Castle with Coran.”

“Oh. Well… have fun? We’ll see you after.”

“Uh, yeah, see you.”

Hunk glanced down at Pidge, who has taken to staring at the wall, trying to avoid looking at Keith. He gently swatted her shoulder.

Pidge let out an aggravated huff, managing to mumble out “fine” before pivoting on her heel and practically stomping away. Hunk sent him an apologetic smile before jogging to catch up with her.

A young, naive part of him did want to go, like the child in him who was still looking forward to the day he’d be able to help his dad bring home a special dinner, maybe even surprise him with his own kill. But he knew what would happen if he went out with a fully shifted pack of wolves. They may not know what he is, but the primal fear inside him always found a way to come out and haunt him.

No, it was best for him to stay away. As much for his sake as theirs.

Besides, it’s not like he really eats meat now anyways. He’d eat chicken or fish, but he doubted they’d be going for small birds or trying to catch fish with fishing rods in their paws. No, this hunt, much like the ones on earth with his dad, was a special event. It was their first trip to a planet that didn’t involve removing the Galra. They all, Keith included, missed actually being on land instead of stuck in a metal spaceship or robot lions.

He didn’t really feel like training anymore, but he said he would, so it’d be suspicious if he didn’t. Pushing the thought of hunting out of his mind, he headed towards the training deck.

~~

Despite the nausea still clinging to his stomach, he managed to get through three levels of training. Less than normal, but he’ll give himself a break this time. In hindsight, having something attack him while he still had hunting on his mind _probably_ wasn’t the best idea.

He should just get cleaned up and at least appear okay before the others get back. Having the team think there was more wrong with him was the last thing he wanted.

His boots clicked on the Castle’s metal floors and pristine walls as he walked down the hallways to his room. Being the only one there, it was completely silent except for his shoes. It was kind of unsettling. He almost wished he had gone outside. At least there there would be noise. Here, the eerie silence set off his anxiety, raising his heart rate ever so slightly.

People may assume that animals hated noise. That it would set off alarm bells, signalling them that danger was approaching. But they couldn’t be more wrong. Sure, they might instinctively run away at the sound of a twig breaking or a predator growling, but those noises usually proceed silence. Noise meant safety. Noise meant that there wasn’t something stalking you. Noise meant that their wasn’t something trying it’s best to keep itself quiet. It meant that you weren’t being hunted.

“BOO!!”

Someone jumped out from around the corner, just in front of Keith. Before he could identify it, he instinctively swung out, realizing all too late that it was Lance.

“-the heck, Keith!” Lance snapped, his voice distorted through the hand held to his, probably, broken nose.

 _Shit_.

He took a step back as he saw blood sneaking through Lance’s fingers.

“I- shit- sorry- I- I didn’t realize it was you.”

“I _told_ you it wouldn’t work.”

A smug Pidge walked out from the same corner Lance did, though she didn’t attempt to (and succeed at) scaring him. She pulled out a towel and handed it to Lance, as though she expected Keith to have a violent response to Lance’s plot.

“That what wouldn’t work?” Keith asked.

She turned to him, her smug grin vanishing and being replaced with a similar expression to when he rejected going hunting.

“He was trying to see if scaring you would make you shift.”

 Oh.

He felt himself go pale. No, shifting would be a bad idea. Too often, shifting with others around had gotten him nearly killed. Simply put, they tried to eat him.

“Oh- I- uh-”

“Yeah, I know, _‘you can’t,’_ ” she said flatly, still holding the glare.

His hands curled into fists to keep his fingers from fidgeting. His throat felt dry, its walls scratching against each other. He licked his lips in a desperate attempt to rid himself of the heat spreading through his veins. Adrenalin was not his friend right now.

“Right,” he finally managed.

A long silence followed.

“I’m going to get this cleaned up,” Lance said, breaking the silence.

Without even giving him another glance, he turned back around the corner and headed off to the med bay.

Pidge hadn’t left with him.

“So…” he tried, “how was the planet?”

He couldn’t bring himself to say “hunting.” Not now, at least.

Despite her harsh glare she adamantly kept around Keith, she looked surprised. He couldn’t blame her; he was surprised at himself. He could barely look at her and Hunk when they invited him.

“It was… nice. Not as good as on Earth, but it was fun to run around on an actual planet. I’m not much of a nature person, but even I have to get outside with my other skin once in a while, you know?”

She deflated at her last words.

_So much for that good moment…._

But he surprised her, continuing, “We didn’t catch anything big though, just a few rabbit-like creatures. Hunk did manage to find some plants and herbs he wanted to try in some recipes though.” A snicker escaped her lips. “Can you believe it? We go hunting-” Keith flinched- “and Hunk brings back _plants_. Honestly, the guy is all sorts of weird.”

He smiled back at her, surprisingly relaxed at the casualness of it. He’d have to enjoy it while he could.

“I can’t wait to try it.”

“Yeah, it should be pretty good with that rabbit we caught.”

Aaaaand… moment’s over.

He looked down to the floor, shuffling his feet uncomfortably, desperately wishing to be back in his room.

Pidge must’ve noticed his quick mood change, because her body language changed in suit.

They were left in another long moment of silence. He almost prepared to leave and clean off the sticky sweat from training (and from this encounter), but Pidge spoke up again:

“Shiro caught some fish for you.”

He looked up.

“He did?”

Even with everything Shiro’s done for him already, it still hit him that he would go through the extra effort to accomodate for him. People haven’t exactly eager to help out the discipline case who wouldn’t cooperate or follow along with what everyone else does. It was comforting to know that there was still someone who wasn’t bothered with all the baggage he carried with him.

Pidge folded her arms, taking to gazing at the wall as though it was addressing her instead of Keith.

“Yeah, he was pretty insistent about taking time out of hunting to get something. He seems pretty considerate of that weird diet of yours.”

“Being a pescitarian isn’t that weird,” he insisted.

It actually _was_ odd to be a pescitarian, or someone who has any kind of restrictive diet that wasn’t founded in medical necessity or a desire to have a certain body type for that matter. Wolves weren’t exactly known for their love of salads. Not non-existent, just _very_ uncommon. The only reason Keith didn’t take up being a vegetarian- like his other skin would very much like him to- was because completely removing meat from his diet would severely deplete the energy he needed to function in the strenuous physical activities that he did. He wasn’t too keen on taking pills for extra proteins.

“Sure,” she answered, rolling her eyes, “And I’m a six-foot tall hyena.”

They both laughed at that.

Once it subsided, Pidge took a step back, the flat look returning.

“I’m going to go check on Lance. You know how dramatic he can get.”

Strange, why was his heart pounding?

“Yeah,” he huffed, suddenly feeling light-headed.

_Was it getting stuffy in here?_

She turned to leave, heading back around the corner.

Why are his hands shaking again?

He swallowed and released a shaky breath as she vanished from view. By now, his body was covered in a layer of cold sweat, his heart rate nowhere near slowing.

No matter what comes at him right now, he can handle it. He’s safe.

 

He is not prey.


End file.
